Category: Young Adult

Title: The Final Six
Author: Alexandra Monir
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Leo, an Italian championship swimmer, and Naomi, a science genius from California, are two of the twenty-four teens drafted into the International Space Training Camp, their lives are forever altered. After erratic climate change has made Earth a dangerous place to live, the fate of the population rests on the shoulders of the final six who will be scouting a new planet. Intense training, global scrutiny, and cutthroat opponents are only a few of the hurdles the contestants must endure in this competition.

For Leo, the prospect of traveling to Europa—Jupiter’s moon—to help resettle humankind is just the sense of purpose he’s been yearning for since losing his entire family in the flooding of Rome. Naomi, after learning of a similar space mission that mysteriously failed, suspects the ISTC isn’t being up front with them about what’s at risk.

As the race to the final six advances, the tests get more challenging—even deadly. With pressure mounting, Naomi finds an unexpected friend in Leo, and the two grow closer with each mind-boggling experience they encounter. But it’s only when the finalists become fewer and their destinies grow nearer that the two can fathom the full weight of everything at stake: the world, the stars, and their lives.

Review:

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t put it down!

The story was great! It had a teen competition, almost like The Hunger Games. But the prize was to go into space and settle a new place for humans to live.

I loved the romance between Naomi and Leo. They took so many risks with each other and with finding out the truth behind the mission, that I kept holding my breath while I was reading.

I was never very good at science, so I’m not sure how accurate everything was. But it was good enough to convince me that everything could happen in real life. Some readers who are particular about getting the facts right may be bothered by any flaws in the science, but I didn’t see anything wrong with it in terms of the story.

I really hope there’s a sequel to this story soon. I was surprised at the ending, and it ended way too soon for me! I’ll be looking forward to reading more.

About the Author:

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Title: Illuminae
Author: Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Knopf Books
Source: Purchased
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

Review:

Wow, this book was amazing!

This story is told in an unconventional format. It consists of a series of files: transcripts, emails, and memos. All of these files come together to tell the story of how a planet was attacked and the people were evacuated to spaceships, sparking a space war.

The beginning of the story was a little confusing because of the unique format, and the many characters. But after about the first quarter of the story, I was hooked!

The graphics in this book were incredible! They were very detailed. A lot of work went into the design and layout of this book, as well as the writing.

Part of what makes this story so addicting is the blending of genres. It’s definitely a fantasy and science fiction story since it takes place in space. But there’s a lot of romance and thrilling suspense.

This is now one of my favourite books! I can’t wait to read Gemina!

Title: This Tiny Perfect World
Author: Lauren Gibaldi
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss
Release Date: February 27, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Penny loves her small-town Florida life, and she has her future mapped out. She’s going to community college after graduation to stay close to home and her best friend, Faye. She’ll take over the family diner that her dad has been managing since her mother died. And one day, she’ll marry her high school sweetheart, Logan.

But when she unexpectedly lands a scholarship to a prestigious summer theater camp, she is thrust into a world of competition and self-doubt. And suddenly, her future gets a little hazy. As she meets new friends, including Chase, a talented young actor with big-city dreams, she begins to realize that maybe the life everyone (including her) expects her to lead is not the one she was meant to have.

Review:

I really liked this story!

I loved the drama program that Penny attended. It was described very well, and sounded fascinating. Acting is completely new to me. I’ve always been shy, and I was never interested in drama classes, though I did dance. I found this part of the story very interesting, since it is something that I’ve never experienced.

The characters in the story were great. They were well developed, and seemed like real people. I liked that Penny was conflicted in many ways, from her future career to her friends/boyfriend. It added tension to the story. I also loved the twist at the end. I didn’t see it coming at all, so I was surprised.

If you like contemporary Young Adult stories, you’ll love this one!

About the Author:

 

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Title: Six of Crows
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Source: Purchased
Release Date: September 29, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he’ll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:

Break into the notorious Ice Court
(a military stronghold that has never been breached)

Retrieve a hostage
(who could unleash magical havoc on the world)

Survive long enough to collect his reward
(and spend it)

Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done – and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable – if they don’t kill each other first.

Review:

I loved the Grisha Trilogy, so I had high hopes for this series. I was surprised that it was so different, but I actually ended up loving this book more than the Grisha Trilogy!

This story is in a much different format than the Grisha Trilogy. It’s set in the same world, but that’s where the similarities end. This story is told from third person perspective, rather than first person. There are some references to the things that happened in the trilogy, but it isn’t a continuation of the story.

I loved the tension in this story. Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going, it changed. The heist was planned down to the smallest details, but there were snags along the way. The planning in the story and the planning of the plot was so amazing.

I was shocked at how much I loved this story, so much more than the Grisha Trilogy. I had to go out and buy Crooked Kingdom right after finishing it, so I hope to read it soon!

Title: Wintersong
Author: S. Jae-Jones
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: February 7, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

Review:

I liked this story. I’m so glad the sequel is out, so I can read it right away.

I liked the references to Christina Rossetti’s poetry throughout the book. The story is based on her poem “The Goblin Market.” But it also has a lot of the themes from Beauty and the Beast as well.

Liesl’s music was a great backdrop to the story. It was realistic that she was a great composer but her brother was the one to get the credit, just because he was a boy. I loved that music was able to unite people of all different backgrounds.

One thing that frustrated me was Liesl’s relationship with the Goblin King. They did a lot of pointless bickering. They had the same arguments over and over. It was annoying because I was rooting for Liesl to be happy, either with him or without him.

I liked this story, and I recommend it for YA fantasy fans.

Title: The Raven Boys
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Purchased
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Review:

I listened to this audiobook a couple of years ago and I loved it. I found it a little difficult to differentiate between the characters when I was listening to it, so I bought a hard copy to read before reading the second book. I still loved the story.

It’s a great unique story. There’s mysticism and fantasy with Blue’s eccentric family. You never know what they’re going to do. The Aglionby boys were also unpredictable. It seems like the more you learn about them, the stranger they seem.

There was so much that happened in the story! Looking back on it, it seems like a whole series in one book. I can’t wait to see what happens in the rest of the series!

Title: #Prettyboy Must Die
Author: Kimberly Reid
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Macmillan
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: February 13, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A CIA prodigy’s cover is blown when he accidentally becomes an internet sensation in #Prettyboy Must Die, inspired by the #Alexfromtarget story.

When Peter Smith’s classmate snaps a picture of him during a late night run at the track, Peter thinks he might be in trouble. When she posts that photo–along with the caption, “See the Pretty Boy Run,”–Peter knows he’s in trouble. But when hostiles drop through the ceiling of his 6th period Chem Class, Peter’s pretty sure his trouble just became a national emergency.

Because he’s not really Peter Smith. He’s Jake Morrow, former foster-kid turned CIA operative. After a massive screw-up on his first mission, he’s on a pity assignment, a dozen hit lists and now, social media, apparently. As #Prettyboy, of all freaking things.

His cover’s blown, his school’s under siege, and if he screws up now, #Prettyboy will become #Deadboy faster than you can say, ‘fifteen minutes of fame.’ Trapped in a high school with rabid killers and rabid fans, he’ll need all his training and then some to save his job, his school and, oh yeah, his life.

Review:

I really enjoyed his story. It reminded me of the movie Agent Cody Banks, which was one of my favourites when I was a kid. It was also about a teenage secret agent.

I liked the beginning of the story. It throws us right into the action in the Ukraine. Then, the majority of the book is about a lockdown in Peter’s school. I wish there was some more background on how he became an agent. It would have also been nice to see him in more situations than just the one day at school.

Peter is a diverse character, but that isn’t obvious from the boy on the cover. When I started reading the book, Peter mentions that he is black. However, the boy on the cover doesn’t necessarily look black. Perhaps if his whole face was shown, it would have been more obvious, since only part of his face and hands show his skin.

This is a great book for fans of spy novels in a school setting.

Title: S.T.A.G.S.
Author: M.A. Bennett
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Greer, a scholarship girl at a prestigious private school, St Aidan the Great School (known as STAGS), soon realizes that the school is full of snobs and spoilt rich brats, many of whom come from aristocratic families who have attended the institute throughout the centuries. She’s immediately ignored by her classmates. All the teachers are referred to as Friars (even the female ones), but the real driving force behind the school is a group of prefects known as the Medievals, whose leader, Henry de Warlencourt, Greer finds both strangely intriguing as well as attractive. The Medievals are all good-looking, clever and everyone wants to be among their circle of friends. Greer is therefore surprised when she receives an invitation from Henry to spend a long weekend with him and his friends at his family house in the Lake District, especially when she learns that two other “outsiders” have also been invited: Shafeen and Chanel. As the weekend unfolds, Greer comes to the chilling realization that she and two other “losers” were invited only because they were chosen to become prey in a mad game of manhunt.

Review:

I’ve wanted to read this book since it originally came out in the U.K. in the summer. It was definitely worth the hype.

From the beginning of the story, we know how it will end. Greer will somehow kill someone at her weekend away. The whole story was building up to this ending, which was already revealed. But we don’t know how it happens. It was very well done. I was excited to read the whole thing and find out what happened. And the ending didn’t disappoint.

Tradition is a major theme in this story. When I went to England, I loved that everything was very traditional. There are large families in the story who trace their origins back more than a thousand years. The school STAGS also has historical origins.

The death occurred well before the end of the story, so I was surprised that there was so much left to happen. I thought the story was finished when they showed the death, but it continues right to the last page. I really liked the ending.

After I started reading this story, I read that it might be made into a movie. That’s so exciting and I’d love to see this story on the big screen!

Title: Wicked Charm
Author: Amber Hart
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Nothing good comes from living in the Devil’s swamp.

Willow Bell thinks moving to the Okefenokee area isn’t half bad, but nothing prepares her for what awaits in the shadows of the bog.

Girls are showing up dead in the swamp. And she could be next.

Everyone warns Willow to stay away from Beau Cadwell—the bad boy at the top of their suspect list as the serial killer tormenting the small town.

But beneath his wicked, depthless eyes, there’s something else that draws Willow to him.

When yet another girl he knew dies, though, Willow questions whether she can trust her instincts…or if they’re leading to her own death.

Review:

This was a very suspenseful story.

It is a great mystery. Girls who dated Beau go missing and are murdered near his home. It seems like Willow will be next. I didn’t guess who did it, but the solution makes sense if you look back on the story.

I didn’t feel a connection with Willow or Beau. I felt like they were only focused on the murders, and didn’t talk about anything else. Of course, the murders were concerning since Beau was a suspect, but I think they should have done some other things to build their relationship and develop their characters.

This was a great suspenseful story. If you’re looking for a creepy teen story, you should check this one out!

About the Author: